Multi-Fit Cover Plate

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to a cover plate with an inner component of resilient material allowing use with multiple diameters of conduit. It has particular reference to the plumbing industry.

The present invention relates to a device for covering breaches insurfaces, such as walls or cupboard recesses, where pipes or similarconduits penetrate.

A cover plate, also known as a cupboard plate or escutcheon, is acomponent used in the construction and maintenance industries, and morespecifically the plumbing industry, to create a neater and moreaesthetically pleasing finish when a conduit, such as a pipe or pipesocket, travels through a wall or similar solid surface. Thebreach/aperture created to allow the passage of the conduit is usuallyof larger diameter than the conduit and has an exposed/raw/untidy edge,meaning there is a resultant space adjacent to the outer circumferenceof the conduit. The use of a cover plate of correct size enables aneater finish by covering the space in the wall through which theconduit projects and edge created. The cover plate is usually threadedover the conduit and then fixed to the solid surface or wall to create amore aesthetically pleasing finish.

Tradespeople are confronted by the situation whereby they must fit acover plate of the correct size in order that any gap between the coverplate aperture and conduit is minimised/eliminated. This createsdifficulty for the tradesperson who must be equipped with the correctsize of cover plate for each particular job. A cover plate not fittingflush to the conduit may allow the passage of, for example, drafts,pests and liquids.

It is an object of the present invention to overcome, or at leastalleviate, one or more problems associated with the prior art.

Accordingly, the present invention provides a cover plate for creating aneat finish when applied to a surface through which a conduitpenetrates, said cover plate including an aperture shaped to fit aroundsaid conduit, said aperture including around its periphery a sleeve of aresilient or flexible material that, in use, enables a snug insertion ofthe conduit through the aperture of the cover plate.

Preferably, said cover plate is composed of rigid and resilientcomponents, said rigid component making up the outer part of the coverplate, and said resilient component being in the same plane as saidrigid component and extending inwards from the rigid component to makeup the inner part of the cover plate adjacent to the aperture, thuscreating the aperture including around its periphery a sleeve ofresilient material.

Preferably, said aperture including around its periphery a sleeve ofresilient material is able, in use, to accommodate conduits of aplurality of diameters, said resilient material stretching toaccommodate a conduit of wider diameter than the aperture.

Preferably, in use, the resilient material tightly apposes the outercircumference of the conduit, or more specifically pipe or pipe socket,to eliminate the gap/make the gap negligible between the conduit and thesleeve.

In use, the device reduces the likelihood of pests, draughts and liquidstraversing the breach in the surface. It creates a superior seal and amore aesthetically appealing appearance. It also enables a tradespersonto use the same cover plate for a variety of diameter conduits, ratherthan the tradesperson needing to have available a range of cover plateswith different diameter apertures.

In a preferred embodiment the external diameter of the cover plate isbetween 3 cm and 20 cm, more preferably between approximately 10 and 15cm and more preferably approximately 10.5 cm.

In a preferred embodiment the external solid component of the coverplate is circular with an approximately central aperture, with the widthof this component being from approximately 5 mm to 100 mm, morepreferably approximately 7 mm to 70 mm and more preferably approximately15 mm.

In a preferred embodiment, the internal resilient component, or sleeve,is also circular with an approximately central aperture, said resilientcomponent having an external diameter of approximately 3 cm to 16 cm,more preferably approximately 4 cm to 12 cm and more preferablyapproximately 7.6 cm. Preferably, the width of the resilient componentis from approximately 6 mm to 17 cm, more preferably 7 mm to 8 cm andmore preferably approximately 16 mm.

In a preferred embodiment, the approximately central aperture may have adiameter of approximately 5 mm to 14 cm, more preferably 2 cm to 10 cm,more preferably 3 cm to 6 cm.

In another preferred embodiment the external solid component may be ofan oval shape or in another preferred embodiment a polygonal shape.

In a preferred embodiment, the aperture may be approximately centrallylocated in the cover plate. In an alternative embodiment, the aperturemay be placed asymmetrically, particularly when the cover plate is anelongated shape such as an oval or polygonal shape.

In one preferred embodiment the cover plate may include a plurality ofapertures or a single aperture designed to accommodate a plurality ofconduits or the like. For example, the aperture may be the shape of aFIG. 8.

In another preferred embodiment the resilient component may accommodatea conduit of a noncircular cross section, such as a square or rectangle.

In a preferred embodiment the solid and resilient components of thedevice may be white or a similar colour, but in other embodiments thecover plate may be produced in various colours, for example to match thecolouring of the conduit or the solid surface being penetrated. Inanother preferred embodiment the colour of the resilient component maydiffer from, and even be in a contrasting colour to, the solidcomponent.

In a preferred embodiment, the solid outer component may be composed ofa rigid plastic, such as unplasticized polyvinyl chloride (uPVC) and theresilient inner component may be composed of a flexible plastic, such aspolyvinyl chloride (PVC).

PVC may be made softer and more flexible by the addition ofplasticizers, the most widely used being phthalates.

The invention may be better understood with reference to theillustrations of its preferred embodiments. It should be understood,however, that the following description is illustrative only and shouldnot be taken in any way as a restriction on the generality of theinvention described above.

FIG. 1 shows a plan view of the device, demonstrating the solid outercomponent (comprising UPVC in this example) and the inner, resilientcomponent (PVC in this example). It is approximately 10.5 cm in diameterwith the central aperture being approximately 4.5 cm diameter. A—solidouter component; B—width of external solid component; C—internalresilient component; D—width of internal resilient component; E—externaldiameter of inner resilient component; F—external diameter of outersolid component.

FIG. 2 illustrates the posterior view of the device, showing theresilient plasticized PVC attached (in the example, moulded) to thesolid PVC component. The arrow shows where the resilient component ismoulded to the solid component.

FIG. 3 shows a side elevation of a wall with a pipe penetrating it andthe device threaded over the pipe. The device has been attached (in thiscase by gluing) to the wall.

FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of the configuration.

FIGS. 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 demonstrate other possible configurations ofthe device.

FIGS. 7 and 8 show variations of the resilient component, with allowancefor apposing conduits to pass through.

FIG. 9 shows a plurality of separated conduits being accommodated by theresilient material.

FIG. 10 demonstrates that the conduit need not be circular in crosssection.

FIG. 11 demonstrates how a number of different diameter conduits canthread through a device of one size.

1. A cover plate for creating a neat finish when applied to a surfacethrough which a conduit penetrates, said cover plate including anaperture shaped to fit around said conduit, said aperture includingaround its periphery a sleeve of a resilient or flexible material that,in use, enables a snug insertion of the conduit through the aperture ofthe cover plate.
 2. The cover plate according to claim 1, said coverplate being composed of rigid and resilient components, said rigidcomponent making up the outer part of the cover plate, and saidresilient component being in the same plane as said rigid component andextending inwards from the rigid component to make up the inner part ofthe cover plate adjacent to the aperture, thus creating the apertureincluding around its periphery a sleeve of resilient material.
 3. Thecover plate according to claim 1, wherein said aperture including aroundits periphery a sleeve of resilient material, is able, in use, toaccommodate conduits of a plurality of diameters, said resilientmaterial stretching to accommodate a conduit of wider diameter than theaperture.
 4. The cover plate according to claim 1, wherein, in use, theresilient material tightly apposes the outer circumference of theconduit, to eliminate the gap or make the gap negligible between theconduit and the sleeve.
 5. The cover plate according to claim 1, whereinthe solid outer component is composed of a rigid plastic, such asunplasticized polyvinyl chloride (uPVC), and the resilient innercomponent is composed of a flexible plastic, such as polyvinyl chloride(PVC) to which plasticiser has been added.